Greek pleios—full, spilos—dot, referring to the often dotted leaf surface
Stemless or occasionally branched succulent herbs. Leaves thick; upper surface flat, lower rounded and covered with dark green spots. Flowers solitary or in groups of up to 4, stalked or not. Sepals 5-6. Petals yellow, orange or pink. Ovary with 9-15 chambers. Fruit capsule warty.
Revision of this genus (see reference) resulted in a narrowed concept of Pleiospilos (which contains those species in cultivation in SE Australia) and a new genus Tanquana Hartmann & Leide. The 3 species most commonly cultivated are differentiated in the key; P. compactus (Aiton) Schwantes subsp. sororius (N.E. Br.) H.E.K. Hartmann & Leide is better known under the name P. dimidiatus L. Bolus. Plants called P. simulans (Marloth) N.E. Br. have reddish to yellowish leaves, the upper surface with numerous dots, the flowers are yellow to orange.
Division and seed.
7 species from Cape Province, S Africa.
Hartmann & Leide (1986).
Source: (1997). Aizoaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
